Gerald Tannock is to be commended for putting together this concise book on the normal microflora. The book should be of interest to a wide variety of veterinary and medical students, as well as to graduate students and the research community interested in nutrition, biochemistry, physiology, immunology and infectious diseases - Trends in Microbiology; Tannock's book is suitable as a general work for readers interested in an overview of the human microbial flora. A useful addition to libraries. - Choice; Chapter titles such as `More than a smell: the complexity of the normal microflora' should be sufficient to tempt anyone even with only a passing interest in this subject to read this book, and they will not be disappointed. This [is a] very readable book. SGM Quarterly; Considering that there is no other up-to-date survey of the subject, this small book is a must for all scientists professionally dealing with human microflora or interested in microbial ecology of animals ... it is also a useful reference for physicians or microbiology teachers, and is recommended as bedside reading for anyone fascinated by our intimate interaction with a bunch of microbes that easily outnumber the cells of our body by order of magnitude. - Microbiology Europe; The writing is lively. The author has tried to produce a readable book and he has by and large succeeded...this book can be thoroughly recommended to undergraduates; they will enjoy it and its lessons will stand them in good stead. - Letters in Applied Microbiology